Like the lyrics of Hip Hop legend Eric B . and Rakim
"It's been a long time I shouldn'na left you
Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak shows you slept through
Time's up I'm sorry I kept you"
Rock to this Jam while you spend a few moments reading this post. 😉
So yes it's been a long time since Tanya and I have left a post and we apologize for that; but don't for a minute think our adventures and fitness lifestyle has stopped. So this goes out to the family member on a recent retreat back to Bermuda who said "I have been checking out your blog but you haven't posted in years! What's up with that?" So this goes out to you; thank you for the inspiration! You know who you are 💗. It is always good to spend time with Family and Friends even when the time is Bitter Sweet. To set up the pictures in this post. The time period when these photos were taken was December 2022 through February 2023. As they saying goes a "Picture can say thousand words".
We decided to spend the mornings hiking on this holiday. We are very lucky to live close to some of the best trails in southern California. The Iconic Mt San Antonio Aka Mt Baldy; the Dome which on a clear day can be seen from just about anywhere in So Cal. When we arrived at Manker Flats the trailhead the parking area was already full. There was going to be plenty of company on the mountain today.
The valley below was overcast, but not a cloud in sight as we began the trek to the summit. We decided to ascend on the ski hut route then loop back by the backbone trail and the fire road. Just over 9 Miles.
Can you see the ski hut in the distance?
Plenty of others on the Summit
10,069' above sea level
We enjoyed the view then headed down by way of the devils backbone.
We made it back down the mountain and back home safe, to find out that while we were hiking there was a 6.4 Earthquake in Ridgecrest Ca that was felt throughout the valley. Another beautiful morning spent doing what we enjoy; spending time together in nature.
Last month on June 15 Tanya broke out our trail shoes and headed up into the mountains. Big Bear to be exact to run the Holcomb Valley Trail Race. We have run the Ultra distance there a few times in years past; but this year we decided to run the 15 miler. The sun was shining and the temperatures began to rise early! The views of Big Bear lake were stunning and the snow on the distant peaks in the middle of June was special to see!
Another fun day spent together, doing what we really enjoy; running and hitting the trails.
As I contemplate whether to compete in the Muscle Beach Bodybuilding and Physique competition in Venice Beach California again; I thought it would also be a good time to share my story or should I say my Year Long Journey to last years July 4th competition.
Sometime in April 2017 I was talking to my cousin Clint
Johnson and he challenged me to find and compete in a California bodybuilding
competition. He said, he and his wife
Paulette would make it a California bodybuilding vacation. He wanted to show
his younger cousin “How to do it”, he was feeling very confident after placing
in a few East coast events; I could hear the bravado in his voice. So, I didn’t say yes at that moment; I needed to think about it. I knew what
challenge lied ahead for me if I accepted his challenge! The weight training
wasn’t going to be the hard part, I’m a health coach a marathoner and trail
runner! Training and working out is part of who I am! But to lean down into single digit percentage body fat to show case
lean muscular development was going to be the bear; the all-encompassing
commitment day in day out to deprive yourself, to sacrifice. That was going to
be the hard part; was I willing to go through that; in the past I had tried and
failed. So, I said let me think about it and I will get back to you. Participating in a bodybuilding or a physique
competition was a bucket list type of event for me, so I started looking for
events and began talking to Tanya about it.
Tanya was of course in right away, she told me she would
help me and support me if I stayed committed. If you didn’t already know my
wife Tanya was once a competitive bodybuilder, earning the title of Miss Bermuda. She knew
what it was going to take and how to get there! After a short search we chose
the date of July 4th, 2018 the Venice Muscle Beach competition, the
Mecca, the Birthplace of bodybuilding.
I called Clint and told him “I am in! let’s do this!” The
date of July 4th gave us both just over a year to prepare, so no
excuses, put up or shut up! We made a friendly wager, whoever placed higher had
to buy the other dinner at a spot of their choosing.
BEFORE
July 2017 the Journey begins :Weight 215 lbs. 19% Bodyfat
AFTER
July 4, 2018 Competition Day: Weight 164 lbs. 9% Bodyfat
Master’s Physique (Over 45)
Master’s Physique (Over 45)
Clint and I about to get "Pumped" in the staging area.
Feeling the Heat
Morning Preliminaries
Afternoon Finals
What a day! What an experience! In my category there where six competitors; in the end I placed sixth, the top five were awarded. That of course was a little disappointing but it is all about size and peaking at the right time. I was as they say in bodybuilding a little "Flat" in the prelims. After eating during the break my body seemed to peak and "Tighten" up for the Finals; but my competition had a little more size and development.
Clint competed in a different category and age group than I. He was in the bodybuilding category (Over 50) with five competitors ;he walked away with fifth place.
Post event sporting our hardware..
The next day we headed to a resort in Palm Springs for some fun and relaxation; which was well deserved. Clint paid for dinner 😄 wink wink. Vacation time!
The Ladies showing off their stuff pool side!
I couldn't have done it without Tanya's support, she is my Rock!
Time to get back to the drawing board. Work, train, eat, sleep in that order, then do it again.
Tanya and Dr. Marc own and operate GTM FITNESS. We offer Personal Training, Chiropractic, and Massage Therapy. People often ask how do we live, work and train together.We wouldn't want it any other way.
